Apparatus for making metallic filaments for incandescent electric lamps.



R'BLAU. APPARATUS FOR MAKING METALLIC FILAMBKTS FOR INGANDBSGBNT ELEOTRIG LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 1908.

wnwessss I A TI'ORNE YS P. BLAH.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING METALLIC FILAMENTS FOB INGANDESGBNT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

urmoumn mum 113.11, 1908. L

Patented Feb. 28, 1911.

B SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 7 ygzm 5 75M 4 4 i 05 c2 ATTORNEYS umran sra'rnsrarnn r carton.

FRITZ BLAU, OF BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO GENERAL E LECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

arranerrns Eon Mannie METALLIC FILAMENTS Fort mcannnsonn'r ELECTRIC LAMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent, Patented Feb. 2-8, 191 1 Original application filed September 14, 1906, Serial No. 334,563. Divided and this application filed February 17, 1808. Serial No. 416,249.

.c'ertain new and useful Improvements in- Apparatus for Making Metallic Filaments for Incandescent Electric Lamps, of which lthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing metallic filaments for incan- 1 descent electric lamps, and has for its ob- ]6Ct to enable crude filaments to be treated economically with gas for the purpose of converting the crude filament into one ready for use.

This application is a division of another "application for a patent filed by me in the United States Patent Office September 1-1, 1906, Serial No. 334,563. An apparatus embodying my invention is'shown in the accompanying drawing, in whic p t Figure 1 isa diagram showing thegen cralarrangement of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 is an elevation, with part-s in scctiOn,illuS- trating a specific form of the apparatus.

In the treatment of crude metallic fila- ,nients by means of reducing gases for the purpose of producing a finished metallic filament, it is necessary, as I have found, to use a very large amount of gas in order to get the best results, since a pretty strong or rapid current of gas is required for this purl'iose. In order to utilize the ens eco nomically, l have devised the expedient. of passing it successively in contact with a number of crude filaments, it. being understood that such filaments are heated by the $0 m-xt filament.

In the diagram Fig. 1 c designates a series of chambers adapted to contain the filaments under'tre:-1tn1ent, and provided with inletpipes aand outlet pipes Z) for the gas, which pipes pass through the stoppers (l on which the chambers are supported; For the sake of clearness, no filaments have been shown in said chambers. Between each two filament chambers c I have indicated a drying chamber e, the outlet pipe I) of a filament chamber forming the-inlet pipe to the adjacent drying chamber, and the outlet pipe of the drying chamber being identical with the inlet, pipe a of the next; filament chamber.

In Fig. 2, the mechanical and electrical details are shown. On the support, Z I secure a series of stoppers (Z with their inlet and. outlet pipes aand]; respectively. For the sake of clearness, these pipes are shown only on one of the'stopperr. The receptacles or filament chambers in the nature of bells 01 cups closed at. the top, maybe moved up and down toward and from the stoppers d, being suspended by means of .wires or other flexible-connectionsc' passing'ovcr pulleys and connected with counterbalancing weights The, pulleys are carried by a member Z rigidly connected with the support l which is capable of be ing rotated about a vertical axis bymeans of the wheel m driven by a suitable motor. -\Vith the support I is rigidly connected a valve casing 12- (rcsting on a ball-bearing) the several pipes 11 and I) loading to separate chambers in said casing. as shown at the right of Fig. 2. \Yithin the casing 11 is arranged the stationary valve plug 0 pressed upward by a spring 0 and having channels to connect with the chambers of the. valve casing n. The plug further has a pipe 0' for the admission of the gas and a pipe 0 for itslinal discharge The various chambers or channels are so' disposed that the gas from the pipe 0 will enter one of the pipes u. and rea h one of the chambers c from which it returns to the valve casing 12 by the corresponding pipe b, topass to the next pipe 1 and filament chamber 0, and so on from ,Qll\ chamber 1? to the next, until the gas es apes through the p pe 0. When the sh wn rotates, the pipe connections B I j 985,502

are cut off momentarily, and immediately thereafter connections are reestablished, but 'th'is time the gas from the pipe enters first into the filament chamber a which was 6 second in the previous. st age of connections.

Thus as the support 1' rotates, each filament chamber in turn becomes the first and the last of the series through which the gas-current streams. 10 In Fig. 2 I have shown at 1 one of the filaments and at p a commutator or switch controlling the electric circuit (indicated by dotted lines) in such a manner that the CH1" rent will pass through the filament only when the pipe connections are established for the flow of the gas. Only one of the circuits is shown, but it will be understood that there are as many of them as there are receptacles or chambers c, and these several circuits are connected in parallel. If an alternating current is used, a choke coil g, heldv to rotate with'the support Z, is included in each circuit, the cores i of these coils being movable vertically through the action of a stationary'cam k on which travel rollers 1" connected with the cores. If continuous current is used, resistances are switched into and out of circuit by similar means. If drying chambers such as c of Fig. 1 are to be used, they would be carried so as to rotate with the support I and each of these drying chambers would be so connected that the gas would pass through it on its way from a filament chamber 1; to the valve cas- 36 ing n.

Fig. '3 is a diagrammatic view showing at the left substantially a horizontal section on line L L of Fig. 4 and at the right substantially a-horizontal section on line It-R of 40 Fig. 4 and in the center a diagram of the chambers C. a t

. Fig. 4 shows the stationary plug 11 and the rotary valve 0 upon an enlarged scale in central section. In Figs. 3 and Ft the plug 0 has secured to it the upper ends of thc'pipe 0', 0, one above the other, and is provided at uniform distances with connecting pipes -or channels 1', 1* which have their ends at about the same. levels as the upper end of the pipes 0', (F. The rotary valve n isprovided with a partition u. at a level intermediate between those. of the upper ends of the pipes 0', 0 and is further provided above and below said partitions with radial vertical' partitions, but one of the annular chambers formed above and below the horizontal partitions n is subdivided into as many sectors or compartments as there are vessels 0. .60 Figs. 3 and 4 show six vessels 0 but it will be understood that the same principle could be applied to any number of vessels. The path of the gases is clearly indicated in Fig.

.3 which also indicate: a 2 the drying vessels interposed in each of the pipes I). I)", bx, b4, 3

I claim as my invention: 7

1. 'lhc combination of a plurality of filament chambers and means or supplying an electrical current to the filaments in said chambers, with means for connecting said chambers so that'a current of gas may be passed through themsuccessively.

The combination of a duality of filament chambers and means tor supplying an electrical current to the filaments in said chambers, with means for connecting said chambers so that a current of gas may be passed through them successivel and movable means for varying the ow of gas through said chambers. r

3. The combination of a lurality of filament chambers and means or supplying an electricai current to the filaments in sai chambers, with means for connecting said chambers so that a current of gas may be passed through them successively, and a single rotatable means controlling the connections of all of said chambers, to cause each of said chambers to become successively the first in the path of. the gas.

4. The combination of a lu-rality of filament chambers and means or supplying an electrical current to the filaments in said chambers, with means for connecting said chambers so that a current of gas may be passed through them successively, and drying chambers interposed in the connection bet ween successive filament chambers. Y.

5. The combination of a. plurality of filament chambers, with means for connecting them so that a current of gas may be passed through them successively, a movable member controlling the as connections of said chambers, circuits For supplying an electrical current to the filaments in said chanr hers, and a switch controlling said circuits and connected tomove in unison with said controlling member.

(3. The combination of a rotary support, a plurality of filament chan'ibers carried thereby, means for connecting said chambers so that a current of gas may be passed therethrough successively,and a valve operated by the rotation of said support, to vary the'115 connection of said chambers.

7. The combination of a rotary support,

a plurality of filament chambers carried thereby, means for connecting said chambers so that a current of gas may be passed there through successively, a valve operated by the rotation of the support. tovary the con nection of said chambers, circuits for supplying an electrical current to the filaments in circuits and operated by the rotation of the support.

8. The combination of the rotary support,

said chambers, and a switch controlling said i I i i I 3- filamcnt chambers carried thereby, a valve.

casing rigidly connected with said support,

a stationary plug on which said casing rotates, and means whereby the rotation of the support controls-the supply of electrical cur rent to the filaments within said chambers.

9. An apparatus comprising a .group of chambers for the treatment of filaments with suitable connections for passing fluid through such chambers in series and means interposed between successive chambers for rendering the fiuid lit for reuse.

10. An apparatus comprising in combination a plurality of treating devices in which filaments may be subjected to suet'essive stages of a multistage treatment and suitable connections for passing fluid over the filaments in such devices in series.

11-. An apparatus for the treatment of filaments comprising in combination suitable devices for subjecting a plurality of filaments to successive stages of a multi-- stage treatment and meansfor passing tiuid over tlie'tilaments in series in the inverse order of their stages of treatment.

12. An apparatus for use in filament manufacture comprising a plurality of movable. devices for subjecting filaments. to treatment. combined with means for passing treating fluid over'the filaments in series, the order of the filaments in the tlow of fluid changing as the said devices are moved.

13. An apparatus for use in filament manufacture comprising a plurality of movable devices in which filaments may be subjected to successive stages of a multi-stage treat ment and means enacting therewith in the subjection of the. filaments to treatment in suclia manner thatthe treatment is advanced from one stage to another during the movement of such devices.

14. An apparatus comprising a plurality of rcvolubly mounted devices for the treatment of filaments combined with suitable connections for passing g'as over the filaments in such devices in series and control means by which each device is successively made the first in the path' of the gases as the said devices are revolved.

' 15. An apparatus comprising a plurality of devices for subjecting filaments to successive stages of a m'ulti stage treatment combined with means for passing treating fluid over them in series and for simultaneously advancing the treatment. of a filament from one stage to another and altering its order as regards passage of treating fluid.

16. An apparatus comprising a plurality of revolubly mounted treating devices for filaments. a filament in. any device passing successively through the stages of a multistage treatment as the said devices are revolved, combined with means for passing fluid over the filaments in the said devices may be opened for filament removal and insertion and during other portions of which a filament in it is subjected to successive stages of a multi-stage treatment and suit able connections for passing fluid through a plurality of chambers in series by the action of which the order of achamber in the fiow of fluid is advanced when a filament in it advances from one stage of treatment to another.

18. An apparatus for the treatment of filaments comprising a plurality of treating chambers adapted for movement in a cycle, inlet and outlet means for each of said chambers moving therewith, and a plurality of stationary inlet and outlet means, the moving inlet and outlet means for each device coming into communication with each of said stationary inlet and outlet means respectively as sa d chambers move through thecycle.

19. An' apparatus for use in filament. manufactnre comprising a plurality of revoluble chambers each adapted for operation in a cycle during one portion of which it may be opened for filament removal and insertion combined with means for subjecting a filament in such chamber to successive stages of a multi-stage treatment during other portions of the cycle.

20. An apparatus for use in filament manufacture comprising a plurality of movable chambers each adapted. for operation in a cycle during one portion of which it may be opened for filament removal and insertion and during other portions of which a filament in it is subjected to the successive stages of a niulti-stage treatment. fluid passage means for each of said chambers moving therewith, and stationary fiuid passage means with which said moving passage means come into communication in their movement.

21. An apparatus for use in filament manufacture comprising a plurality of movable chambers each adapted for operation in a cycle during a portion of which it may be opened for filament removal and insertion and during another portion of which a filament in it. is subjected to treatment, inlet means for, each of said chambers moving therewitln-and a plurality of stationary fluid supply means with which said mov-' ipg passage means successively come into communication as said chambe's move,

22. The combination of a plurality of filament treating chambers, means for heating we. ...r.

-filaments in said chambers, meanskmnnect- In witness whereof Ihave hereunto setiug said chmuhers so that fluid, may be my hand in the presence of two witnesses, passedtlu'nugh them in series, and means his 22nd day of January, 1908. Inner-posed. in the connection between suc-' FRITZ BLAU. 5 cessive chambers for removing from the {)inid prodnets of the treatment in the chaml I ers.

' \Vitnesses HBXRY HAsrmz, \Vonm-m'm Hurr'r.

- Copies of this fiatcnt pray be obtained fer five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. G. 

